Drink a Glass of Clean Water Every Day (Wellness Habit of the Week)

So many people insist you must drink 8 glasses of water per day. This is not always the case. Every person has different water needs. One thing we all have in common, though, is that we all need to drink clean water, and adding a glass of water to your daily habits can help improve your health.

Adopt a Daily Glass of Water

Consuming adequate amounts of water is an important part of avoiding health problems related to heat and dehydration (Petitti, Hondula, Yang, Harlan, & Chowell, 2016). This is especially important during warmer months. While the amount of water you need can vary based on situations and temperatures, adding 1 glass of water to your daily nutrition can help reduce symptoms of dehydration, which can often go unnoticed.

Water is also important for a healthy BMI. Drinking sugary drinks can increase Body Mass Index (BMI), but drinking water instead can keep you in a healthy BMI (Sichieri, Yokoo, Pereira, & Veiga, 2013). Artificially sweetened drinks are also associated with unhealthy BMI and insulin resistance, but drinking water can reduce insulin resistance and improve BMI (Madjd et al., 2015). Replacing sweet drinks with water can take some adjustments to your taste preferences, but it doesn’t take long for your body to adjust to the new non-sweet beverages.

Adapt Your Water Drinking Habit to Your Needs

Access to clean drinking water can be difficult for some people. Use water filters or buy bottled water if your tap water is unsafe or has an unappealing flavor or smell.

If you absolutely must have some flavoring in your water, try herbal teas or a squeeze of citrus in your water.

Some people prefer ice cold water while others prefer it at room temperature or hot. Try various temperatures to learn what is best for you.

Attach Your Daily Glass of Water to a Habit You Already Have

Adding a glass of water to your daily routine is easy. Put it in a sports bottle and drink it while you commute. Have a glass of water after dinner. Drink one right after you wake up. If you exercise, drink water throughout your workout.